The life of William ShakespeareSpencer MCintyre P4

Examples of Shakespeare's plays and poetry

Thesis: William Shakespeare was one of the best poets in history

Writer

Shakespeare's sonnets are his most important nondramatic poetry. They were published in 1609 but many of them had certainly been circulated privately before this and was generally agreed that the poems were written sometime in the 1590s.

"Shakespeare's sonnets are by far his most important nondramatic poetry. They were first published in 1609, although many of them had certainly been circulated privately before this, and it is generally agreed that the poems were written sometime in the 1590s. Scholars have long debated the order of the poems and the degree of autobiographical content." ( Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition , 16).

This means that Shakespeare had a really big influence and changed the world. People can recognize his owns lines without realizing its his.

"Shakespeare has so saturated modern culture that many people who have never read a line of his work or seen one of his plays performed can identify lines and passages as his. Examples include “To be, or not to be,” “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears,” “Parting is such sweet sorrow,” “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” and “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” (Lander, 7).

Shakespeare had influenced countries besides England and america. He influenced the whole world.

"Shakespeare has had enormous influence on culture throughout the world. His works have helped shape the literature of all English-speaking countries. His work has also had an important effect on the literary cultures of such countries as Germany and Russia. In addition, his widespread presence in popular culture extends to motion pictures, television, cartoons, and even songs." (Lander 5).

Shakespeare wrote many plays, poems, and a sequence of sonnets when he was alive. He loved to create stuff especially like poems and plays for them to be acted out on stage.

"Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays, two major narrative poems, a sequence of sonnets, and several short poems." (Lander 1).

Actor

Shakespeare worked as a minor actor in one of London's theater companies before making his name as a playwright. In 1592, the well known poet Robert Green, was implying that Shakespeare was at the time a force to be reckoned with on the London stage. He joined the Theater company probably after his children were born.

"At some point after his marriage, and probably after the birth of his children,Shakespeare must have made his way to London and joined the theatrical world there. Little is known for certain about how this happened, but it is thought that Shakespeare might have first worked as a minor actor in one of London's theater companies before making his name as a playwright. In 1592, in Greene's Groats worth of Wit , the well-known poet, dramatist, and prose writer Robert Greene (1558–92) mentioned Shakespeare in a way implying that Shakespeare was at the time a force to be reckoned with on the London stage." (Asquith, 25).

Shakespeare worked with the Admiral's Men who performed at the Rose Theater and featured the famous actor Edward Alleyn. The Lord Chamberlain's Men performed north of the river which Shakespeare became associated with on March 15, 1595. Shakespeare's name appears as a payee of the chamberlain's men for court performances and eventually became a principal shareholder. The company was run by James Burbage who was an eminent woodworker and theater constructor who also acted, and His Son, Richard Burbage, became a leading performer.

"The first, the Admiral's Men, performed at the Rose Theater and featured the famous actor Edward Alleyn. The second, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, performed north of the river. This was the company with which Shakespeare became associated. On March 15, 1595, Shakespeare's name appears as a joint payee of the Chamberlain's Men for court performances. He eventually became a principal shareholder. The company was run by James Burbage, an eminent woodworker and theater constructor who also acted. His son, Richard Burbage (1568–1619), became a leading performer." (Asquith, 28).

Shakespeare became an actor and a playwright for the lord Chamberlain's men. Until the end of his career in London, he remained with the company and played old men's roles such as the ghost in Hamlet. The company later became the kings men under King James I. It is thought that Shakespeare played old men's roles such as the ghost in Hamlet and Old Adam in As you like it.

"In 1594 Shakespeare became an actor and playwright for the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the company that later became the King's Men under James I. Until the end of his London career Shakespeare remained with the company; it is thought that as an actor he played old men's roles, such as the ghost in Hamlet and Old Adam in As You Like It. In 1596 he obtained a coat of arms, and by 1597 he was prosperous enough to buy New Place in Stratford, which later was the home of his retirement years. In 1599 he became a partner in the ownership of the Globe theater, and in 1608 he was part owner of the Black friars theater." (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition , 4).

Personal Life

Shakespeare attended the grammar school when he was a child. He took basic Latin grammar and literature and that is where he probably learned how to write. It is unsure about his childhood and what hid did, but he probably attended the grammar school. He would have been educated in the classes of Latin, Literature and learn how to write.

"While little is known of Shakespeare's boyhood, he probably attended the grammar school in Stratford, where he would have been educated in the classics, particularly Latin grammar and literature." ( Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition , 2).

Shakespeare's plays were translated into many languages so people all over the world could enjoy his creations. Because of this, his plays were performed throughout the world. People are able to notice quotes from him without even having to know that it is him. Everyone around the world is able to watch his plays and read his poetry.

"His works have been translated into a remarkable number of languages, and his plays are performed throughout the world." (Lander 1).

Shakespeare went to a school in an English town that had similar stature and had a grammar school. Students learned classical history and Latin literature, including Livy's history.

"There is no evidence that Shakespeare's parents could write, although their signatures in the form of markings on documents are extant. It is assumed that from around the age of five to seven, William Shakespeare went to a school where he would have learned to read. Stratford, in common with other English towns of a similar stature, had a grammar school, which was founded in around 1427. The sons of prosperous town citizens would have attended it. At such grammar schools, students learned classical history and Latin literature, including Livy's history; Cicero's speeches; Plautus's and Terence's comedies; Seneca's tragedies; Virgil's poetry; and the works of Ovid, a poet frequently referred to in Shakespeare's early work." (Asquith, 11).